South Africa to Laos visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders need a visa for Laos. The simplest route is the official Lao eVisa (Tourist T-B3) at laoevisa.gov.la for a 30-day single-entry stay; visa on arrival is also available at major airports and designated border crossings. A South Africa (ZA) ordinary passport holder cannot enter Laos visa-free for tourism. Laos is not in the Schengen area, so no Schengen 90/180 or ETIAS rules apply. Two practical channels exist: (1) the official Lao eVisa (laoevisa.gov.la), issued as a Tourist Visa T-B3 valid for a single entry, a maximum 30-day stay, and an entry window of 60 days from issue, processed in roughly 3 working days; and (2) a Visa on Arrival (VOA) obtained at the three international airports (Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse) and certain land borders. The eVisa is recommended because it is bought in advance, avoids cash and queues, and confirms admissibility before travel. Note the eVisa is accepted only at specific ports of entry (Wattay/Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse airports, plus a few Friendship Bridge crossings), whereas a number of land borders accept only VOA or pre-arranged regular visas. The government eVisa fee is roughly USD 50; VOA is paid in cash (commonly around USD 30-42 depending on nationality plus small overtime/processing charges). Verified against the official Lao eVisa portal and corroborating IATA-based and reference sources as of May 2026.